Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-07-14
A GENUINE MANIA.
A POLICE CAPTAIN ANAlYzES THE
CAUSE OF KLEPToMANIA.

Description of q Typical Case - How
KIeptomaniacs Have Sometimes Been
Brought to Their Senses-The Neces-
sity for Temporary Confinement.
'Do you believe that kleptomania is a gen.
uine mania, captain" queried a reporter of
one of the oldest police captains in the city.
'Of course / do. So would you if you could
see the number Of cases l have seen, and had
the incontrovertible proofs of actual mania
that have had It's delicate matter, you
know. The affiiction strikes high and low.
But the cynical world calls theft theft,
whether it be the act of free will agent or
the irresistible impulse of lunatic. There
are more of these unfortunates than you
imagine
"Can you describe typical caser
"a dozen of them if you desire The case
of lady, now nearly 20 years old, Of fine
family by birth and the wife of a wealthy
and prominent professional man, is most
thoroughly representative case Her husband
is devoted to her. His wealth enabled him to
CRAFTY her every desire and whim. Beauti-
full children, who are idolized by both
parents, were given unto them. Yet hardly
a week passes by that that lady does not re.
sort to the methods of the common shoplifter.
The strongest proof of mania in her case,
however, is found in the character of the ar
ticles she steals. do not mean by that state
ment that the lady confines herself to any ore
class of things. On the contrary, she will ap-
propriate anything, valuable OF otherwise
But the great majority of her thefts consist
of things Of no earthly use to her or hers
baby shoes and stockings, crockery of
a common kind, cheap jewelry, miserable
dress stuffs, which a lady in her position
would not even venture to give away, and so
on through the catalogue of unavailable and
worthless rubbish Years ago these pecula-
tions gave her husband much distress and
humiliation. Now it has been customary to
keep close watch on her, to note the goods
taken and render the husband a yearly bill
for their value These bills, in at least two
stores, frequently amount to $500 per year.
Formerly, when her thefts were discovered
and the lady was apprised of the fact, her
grief and shame were pitiable. But the old
impulse would return, and, after a few i'm
potent efforts at resistance, would resume
full sway So far as the lady knows now it
is many years since her thefts have been dis
covered Another strange feature i'll the mat
ter is that she is an earnest Christian woman,
giving freely of her time and money for the
advancement of all good works"
BROUGHT TO THEIR SENSES
SCan't you cure this mania if you take it
in time"-
al am glad to say that in several instances
have been able to bring young men to their
senses"
"How did you do it,"
"By arousing their pride and a fear of
public disgrace. Take for example this case.
A man came to me about two years ago and
said: My son is a confirmed thief He has
been dismissed from several positions for en-
bezzling sums varying from So to $50. In
each instance l have made the amount good
But he is now nearly 20 years old, and,
although free from other vicious habits, l
cannot tell at what moment his thefts NAV
reach into the hundreds or thousands. Can
you do anything TO save my boy from the
disgrace which is bound to come if he keeps
onf
II said to him, Bring the boy to me- He
left the police station and returned with the
young man. l questioned the youth He
told me he was helpless The impulse to ap-
propriate the property of others when it
struck him dominated his whole being and
overpowered the promptings of Judgment
and conscience He did not consider that he
was a thief His case was evidently bad
one, so 1 said to him sternly: You are thief,
young man, and dangerous one. You GER
tainly cannot be left at liberty any longer
"The color left his face as he asked what I
meant. l told he would have to be locked up
for at least six months. Then 1 took the
father aside and explained to him my theory
and the necessity for at least temporary con-
finement to impress upon the boy that he had
been stealing. Tearfully the father acqui-
esced. Arrangements were made very quietly,
and the young man was jailed for three
months. When he was released, supposing
that all his friends knew of his shame, he be-
sought his father to secure him position in
Chicago. The desire was complied with, and
the young man is now highly esteemed and
promising fellow The remedy was severe,
but effective New York Sun.